Diascia plant named ‘Codiusre’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Diascia  plant named ‘Codiusre’, characterized by its outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and dark red-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Diascia×hybrida cultivar Codiusre.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant, botanically known as Diascia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Codiusre.

The new Diascia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Diascias with numerous flowers and attractive flower coloration.

The new Diascia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in the spring of 2000 of a proprietary Diascia×hybrida selection identified as code number X99.35, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with a proprietary Diascia×hybrida selection identified as code number X99.62, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Diascia was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of the cross-pollination by the Inventor in September, 2001, in an controlled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia since September, 2001 has shown that the unique features of this new Diascia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Codiusre have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Codiusre’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Codiusre’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Dark red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Diascia differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in flower size as plants of the female parent selection have smaller flowers than plants of the new Diascia. Plants of the new Diascia are more compact and outwardly spreading than plants of the male parent selection. In addition plants of the new Diascia and the male parent selection differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Red Ace, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/639,898, now abandoned. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Diascia differed from plants of the cultivar Red Ace in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diascia were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Red Ace.     -   2. Plants of the new Diascia and the cultivar Red Ace differed         in flower color as plants of the cultivar Red Ace had lighter         red-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Diascia.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Codiusre’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Codiusre’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif., in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse during the winter and spring with day temperatures averaging 24° C., night temperatures averaging 19° C. and light levels about 4,000 foot candles. Plants were grown for about 20 weeks in one-gallon containers and were pinched one time about two weeks after planting.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Diascia×hybrida cultivar Codiusre. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Diascia×hybrida selection             identified as X99.35, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Diascia×hybrida selection             identified as X99.62, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Outwardly spreading and trailing plant habit. Freely             branching with about 16 lateral branches per plant. Vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 48 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Appearance: Slender, wiry; upright.             Length: About 36 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length:             About 2.8 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite; simple. Length:             About 2.6 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape: Elliptic to nearly             deltoid. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Acute. Margin: Slightly             serrate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and             fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing and             fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper             and lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole length: About 5 mm.             Petiole diameter: About 1.5 mm. Petiole color: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Solitary zygomorphic flowers arranged             on terminal racemes. Five modified petals fused at base: two             upper (banner) petals, two lateral petals, and one larger             lower lip petal. Flowers not persistent. Flowers face mostly             outwardly.         -   Quantity.—Freely flowering; typically about 12 to 15 open             flowers per lateral branch.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants typically flower during the             spring in the Northern Hemisphere; flowering continuous             during this period.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four to five days.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 10.5 cm. Width: About 4.5             cm.         -   Flower size.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 1.8 cm.             Depth: About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower buds (showing color).—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter:             About 6 mm. Shape: Spherical. Color: 59B.         -   Petals.—Quantity/attangement: Five modified petals fused at             base: two upper (banner) petals, two lateral petals, and one             larger lower lip petal. Base of banner petals with concave             yellow eyespots; lower surfaces of lateral petals modified             into nectar spurs; and lower lip petal convex forming a             roughly horizontal insect landing platform. Length: Banner             petals: About 4 mm. Lateral petals: About 7 mm. Lower lip             petal: About 9 mm. Width: Banner petals: About 5 mm. Lateral             petals: About 6 mm. Lower lip petal: About 1 cm. Lateral             petal spur: Length: About 6 mm. Diameter, at petal             attachment: About 2 mm. Shape, all petals: Roughly             spatulate. Apex, all petals: Rounded. Margin, all petals:             Entire. Texture, all petals, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, velvety. Color, all petals: When opening, upper             surface: 60B. When opening, lower surface: More gray than             60D. Fully opened, upper surface: 60B. Fully opened, lower             surface: 60C. Nectar spurs: 59B. Eyespot on banner petals:             3A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals             fused at base; star-shaped. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About             1 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.2 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Angle:             Upright to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: Less than 1 mm.             Angle: About 45 to 60° from the peduncle. Strength:             Moderately strong; slender. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther             color: 162B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 17A.             Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             4 mm. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 145D. Stigma             shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 145B. Ovary color: 145A.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Diascia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Diascia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Diascia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from 0 to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant named ‘Codiusre’, as illustrated and described. 